Chuck structure



Dec. i0', 1940. l.. A. WARD 2224,39

CHUCK STRUCTURE Filed March 8, 1939 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHUCK STRUCTURE Application March 8,1939, Serial No. 260,522

6 Claims.

This invention relates to power chucks and more particularly to power chucks, the jaws of which are actuated by pivoted levers.

In chucks of the character to which this invention relates, there has always been a serious problem presented in the pivotally supporting of the levers for actuating the jaws. I'he cost of manufacture of heretofore known chucks having pivoted levers for actuating the jaws has been great andthe levers and assoicated moving parts have been accessible, for the purpose of replacements and repairs, only with difculty. Furthermore, prior structures have not been substantial enough to withstand the large forces exerted when actuated by hydraulic mechanism for holding relatively large work in multiple tool machines. According to the present invention, the heretofore known difculties have been over, come by the provision of a chuck provided with removable face plates which not only provide ways for the chuck jaw holding members but also retain the jaw actuating levers and associated parts in assembled relation. The chuck structure and face plates are so arranged that upon removal of the face plates, the jaw holding members, the actuating levers for the jaw holding members and their pivotal supports may be freely removed from the structure.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a chuck structure of the type described having removable face plates. Another object of the invention is to provide chuck structure of the character described with jaw actuating levers and their pivotal supports, removable from one side of the chuck body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chuck of the character described, having removable bearing blocks for pivotally supporting the jaw actuating lever pivots, for permitting the assembly and `disassembly of the lever from one side of the chuck.

A still further object of the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of the parts permitting economical manufacture and ready disassembly for replacements or repairs.

These and other objects will vbe apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a chuck according to the 'present invention equipped with jaw holders but with the jaws removed,

Fig. 2 is a section of the line II--II of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section of the line III-III of Fig. l. Referring particularly to the drawing, the reference character I indicates the -body of the chuck. The body I is provided with three jaw holders 2 shown in each of the figures and 'in cross-section in Fig. 3. The jaw holders 2 are each provided with a slot 3 and tapped bores 4, 5` by means of which a jaw of any desired character may be secured. Each jaw holder 2 is slidable in ways 5, provided by the surface of the body I, and removable face plates t having overhanging portions 'I, as will be clear particularly 10 from Fig. 3. Each jaw holder 2 is provided with portions 8 overhanging adjacent face plates 6. The face plates t are threev in number andare secured to the face of the body I by screws 9.

In the body I there is a plurality of pairs of 15 recesses I0, one pair for each jaw holder 2. Each recess I0 oi' a pair associated with a jaw holder 2 is disposed on the opposite sides of an internal Vchamber I I, shown particularly in Fig. 2, and each recess I!) has a restricted opening I2 20 into the chamber II. The recesses I0 preferably are in the form of cylindrical bores having a side opening into the chamber II to provide the restricted opening I2, and an end opening toward the face plates 6. Disposed within each recess v25 I is a block I3. The blocks I3 are inthe form of cylindrical bars having one side thereof cut oi so that when disposed in a recess II) the s ides are flush with the openings I2 and also the Walls of the chambers II as shown particularly in Fig. 1. 30

Each block I3 is bored to provide a bearing I8 for receiving a journal pin I9 of Aa bell crank lever 2l). As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, each bell crank lever 2li is provided with a journal pin I9 on opposed sides, about which each 35 lever 20 may be rocked to actuate a jaw holder 2.

An operative connection between each lever 2U and its associated jaw holder 2 is provided by an open-sided journal bearing 2I having a cross pin 22 disposed therein for rocking movement, snug- 40 ly receiving a squared projection 23, constituting one arm of the bell crank lever 20.

Each bell crank lever 20 is rocked about its journal pins I9 by a draw sleeve 24, slidable in a bore 25 in the body I and maintained therein against rotation by a key 26 sliding in a keyway 21 in the body I. The draw sleeve 24 is provided with open-sided journal bearings 28 similar to the journal bearings 2I and having rockable` 50 therein cross pins 29 similar to the cross pins 22. It 4will be understood that there is an open-,sided journal bearing 28 having a 'cross pin 29 foreach bellv crank lever 20. The other'arm-'of each bell crank lever ZI) is provided with a squared projec- A tion 38 snugly engaging with a recess 3l in its associated cross pin 29.

The draw sleeve 24 is actuated through a rod 35 Which is in turn actuated by a pneumatic, hydraulic or other operating structure not shown. The rod 35 has in the end thereof a threaded bore 36 into which is threaded a socket headed bolt 3`I freely passing through an externally threaded nut 38, threaded into the draw sleeve N. On the shank of the bolt 3l are clamped together two nuts 39 on the opposite side of the nut 38 from the head of the bolt 3l. positioned as to leave a slight clearance between them and the nut 38 to permit free rotation of the nut 38. The bolt 3l may then be threaded into the bored'end of the rod 35, clamping the end of the rod 35 against one of the nuts 39 to lock the rod 35 and the bolt 31 together. Access to the head of the bolt 3l is provided by a bore 4G in the body I. Within the'bore 4S is disposed a pilot b-ushing I secured to the body I by screws 42. 'Ihe pilot bushing 4I does not comprise a part of this invention and its use will be well understood by' those skilled in the art.

The operation ofthe invention is as follows: Assuming that suitable jaws have been secured to the jaw' holders 2, the actuating rod 35 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawing, pivoting the bell crank levers 2i) about their journalpins I8, disposed inv the bearings I8` in the blocks I3. This movement slides the jaw holders 2 outwardly vin their lwaysl 5, thus f opening the jaws for receiving work. In order to clamp work in the jaws, the actuating rod 'is'moved to the left as viewed in'F'ig. 2 with theY result that the bell crank levers 20 are pivoted in the opposite direction to move the jaw holders 2"together with the jaws held therein, inwardly to clamp therebetweenrthe work. In order to di'sassembleV the chuck according to thepresent invention, it is merely necessary to remove the face plates 6. The jaw holders 2 and the blocks I9 and the'levers 2i) may be then readily lifted out.` Any of the removed structure may then be repaired or replaced and the chuck reassembled in the reverse order.

"From the foregcing'description it Willlbe apparent "that the present Yinvention makesl .possible a simple, rugged,and inexpensive structure wherein the'problem of pivotally mounting the bell crank levers"2 in such manner that they and their bearings are readily removable for replacement o 'repair is reduced to a minimum. In the appended claims the term jaw member is used. Thisis to ,bel taken as broad enough to. define the jaw holders 2, with or` without. jaws. secured thereto.

Having thus described my 4invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent andv claim is:

1. In aV chuck, a body, actuating means extending. from one end thereof axially of said body, said body having recesses extending axially thereof and opening toward the other end of said body, radially movable jaw members mounted in covering relation to said recesses, moving mechanism for said jaw members located in said recesses, means in said recesses mounting said moving mechanism, a separable operative connection between said actuating means and said Q moving mechanism for moving said jaw members, said moving mechanism audits-mounting means being maintained in assembled relationY in said body by said jaw members, and means 75A tiori to said body.

The nuts 39 are 2. In a chuck, a body, actuating means for the chuck, said body having recesses extending axially thereof and opening toward one end of said body, radially movable jaw members disposed in covering relation to said recesses, face plates removably secured to said body providing ways for said jaw members, moving mechanism for said jaw members located in said recesses, means in said recesses mounting said moving mechanism, and an operative connection between said actuating means and said moving mechanism for moving said jaws, said moving mechanism, its mounting means and jaw members being held in assembled relation in said body by said face plates.

3. In a chuck, a body, actuating means for said chuck, said body having a plurality of recesses therein, extending axially thereof and opening toward one end thereof, jaw members mounted in covering relation to said recesses, a lever" mounted in each recess, a pair of spaced axially removable bearing blocks in eachrecess, one block being opposite eachside of each lever, respectively, means for rockably supporting said levers supportedby saidbearing blocks, respectively, operative connections between said jaw members andsaid levers, an operative connection between said actuating means and said leversA for rocking the same to move said jaw members, and face plates removably secured to said body, for defining the path of. movement of said jaw membersv and for holding said j aw members, leversv and; bearing blocksI in assembled relationmin saidbody, whereby upon removal of saidv face plates, saidA jaw members, levers and bearing blocks may beremoved'from said body.

4, In aV device ofthe character described, a body, a chamber therein, a pair ofspaced opensided lrecessesv in said body opening on said chama member Way in said body, a. jaw member' in said way, removable faceplates on said body at opposite sides of said-,jaw member, limiting said jaw member against outward'. movement, each face plate beingdisposed over one of .said blocks to hold itk in LAitsrecess, anoperative connection between said lever, said, jaw` member, andvxneansfor actuatingusaid lever to actuate said ,jaw member.

5. In a chuck, a body, jaw actuating levers, a plurality of radially extending .chambers therein, forreceiving said jaw'actuating levers-said body havinga recess Aon each side of said-chamber, each recess opening-laterallyinto said chamber andextending axiallyof said-body,v being open toward the outer end of saidchambenbearing blocks disposed in said recesses, journal pins associatedwith said. levers. and vmounted in said bearing blocks respectivelyfor pivotally supporting said leversinsaid chambers, meansfor rocking said. leversabout .said pins, jaw members slidably mounted on said body in covering relation tol said chambers respectively, face Yplates on said body disposed between lsaid jaw -members and Vprovidingwaysfior said jaw 4members limitling their movements to beingV radial, and inl operative connection between said leversA and said jaw members respectively, whereby said jaw membersV arecactuated upon f' actuation of,y said lever-rockngmeans..

6. In a chuck Wherein a plurality of jaw members slidable in Ways are moved into and out of operative relation by an actuating member working through a pivoted lever for each jaw member, a body, said body having therein a plurality of pairs of spaced recesses, one pair for each lever, a block in each recess, said recesses having opposed restricted openings in adjacent sides thereof, said blocks having bearings in the l0 portions' thereof facing said opposed openings,

pins journalling each lever in a pair of opposed bearings, and removable face plates on said body, said face plates bearing against said body over saidblocks and holding said blocks in said body, said face plates also providing Ways for said jaw members, whereby said bearing blocks and jaw members may be assembled in said body from one side thereof and maintained therein by said face plates.

LOYD A. WARD. y 

